Kakamega coffee farmers to buy pulping machine for value addition

Kakamega Coffee Farmers Union officials and Mckinnon Company Director Sandy Cameron (left) speak to journalists in a Kakamega yesterday. The farmers are planning to buy Sh1.5 miliion coffee pulping machine to assist them add value to their produce before selling it.  [PHOTO: BENJAMIN SAKWA/STANDARD]

KAKAMEGA COUNTY: Coffee farmers in Kakamega County are planning to start processing their commodity at a central location to boost their earnings.

The farmers affiliated to the Kakamega Coffee Farmers Union have also asked the county government to help them acquire pulping machines for processing their raw material.

The union was revived as part of measures to re-establish the industry in the county.

Hezron Mukabale, the acting secretary of the union, said farmers in the county were earning as low as Sh200 per kilogramme of parchment coffee due to lack of equipment to process their produce.

“In some areas, farmers earn as much as Sh800 per kilogramme of parchment. If we can have centralised processing location and the supervision is good, the quality will be maintained and farmers will earn more,” noted Mukabale.

Earnings low

He said the highest price the county’s coffee has ever fetched in the area was Sh260, while farmers in  Kirinyaga and other places getting as high Sh750 for the same quantity.

“Last year, Isukha- Iguhu Cooperative produced a total of 16,529 kilogrammes of parchment and 600 kilogrammes Kgs of mbuni (unwashed coffee). This earned farmers Sh5 million, but with proper organisation we can earn up to Sh10 million,” said Mukabale.

Jackel Shivanda, the chairman of Kambiri Coffee Society, noted that accessing pulping machines has been a major challenge for the farmers.

“The county government must assist coffee farmers acquire pulping machines to make our coffee more competitive in the market,” said Shivanda.

Arnold Andabwa, the union chairman, said each pulping machine costs Sh1.5 million and can serve between 20-30 farmers.

“The union plans to acquire at least five machines for every cooperative within the union. Coffee farmers in Kakamega County grow Ruiru 11 and Batian varieties,” said Andabwa.

Sandy Cameron, the director of McKinnon, the company expected to supply the pulping machines, said adding value to the produce will ensure it is able to sell internationally.

RAW COFFEE

The farmers plan to acquire mini- processing machines called Ecomin Wet Pulping plants for small growers that have the capacity to process up to 1000 kg of ripe cherry fruit per hour.

The machines will be used to clean the coffee, separate unpulped coffee beans from the pulped ones as well as remove the skins from the good coffee.

Michael Mungai, a Training and Capacity Building Manager with Kenya Cooperative Coffee Exporters, advised farmers to store their produce at a central point for easy sampling.

“You should never give the market mediocre coffee. The quality must be maintained until it reaches the market,” said Mungai.

He noted that an increasing number of residents were venturing into coffee farming and urged the county assembly to enact a Bill to regulate the industry in the area.

“The eco-pulpers will ensure that the processing is done with speed to have the coffee is ready for the market on time,” he said.